VZCZCXRO3328
OO RUEHVK
DE RUEHUL #0831/01 1462150
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 262150Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4450
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 6026
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5937
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 7979
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 6614
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 3873
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 4443
RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 1649
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 3418
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SCJS SEOUL KOR
RHMFIUU/CHJUSMAGK SEOUL KOR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SEOUL 000831 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/IHB, CA/OCS, AND EAP/K 
HHS FOR OGHA 
HHS PASS TO NIH FOR FIC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC TBIO KFLU KS
SUBJECT: CLUSTER OF INFECTED AMCITS RAISES KOREA'S H1N1 TALLY TO 23, 
OF WHICH 16 ARE AMCITS 
 
REF: SEOUL 729 
 
¶1.  Summary: On May 23, Korea confirmed the first H1N1 diagnosis of 
an Amcit in Korea; by May 26, the number of infected Amcits in Korea 
had risen to 16 (of a total of 23 positive diagnoses in Korea). 
Thirteen Amcit English teachers of 65 recently recruited from the 
United States and Canada were diagnosed on May 23-25 with novel H1N1 
influenza.  (An additional two non-Amcit teachers from the same 
group have also been diagnosed with H1N1.)  The remaining 50 
individuals, including at least 38 American citizens, are under 
quarantine.  Separately, three U.S.-born children of Korean parents 
who arrived on a flight from New York on May 24 have been confirmed 
to be infected with H1N1.  In addition, a Korean woman returning to 
Korea May 24 on a flight from Japan was also diagnosed with H1N1. 
Following the cluster of three individual cases detected in Korea at 
the end of April/beginning of May (see REFTEL), and a Vietnamese 
transit passenger who was detected with H1N1 on May 17, Korea's 
total number of confirmed H1N1 infections now stands at 23, of which 
16 are American citizens.  None of the H1N1 cases in Korea have 
shown serious illness.  End summary. 
 
ESL Teaching Recruits under Isolation and Quarantine 
-------------------- ------------------------------- 
¶2.  On May 21, a 23-year-old female American citizen who had entered 
Korea on May 16 developed a high fever and other flu-like symptoms. 
She went to a public health center, was tested, and confirmed as 
having H1N1 influenza on May 22.  She was one of 65 English language 
teachers recently recruited from the United States and Canada by 
Chungdam Language Institute who had been together in the same 
classroom and office space for one week.  At least 51 of the 65 
teaching recruits were Amcits.  Embassy's American Citizen Services 
Unit is working to confirm U.S. nationality and contact those in 
hospital or quarantine. 
 
¶3.  On May 23, the Korean Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family 
Affairs (MHWFA) began testing all the recruits in the Chungdam 
program and placing them under quarantine at the Seoul Human 
Resources Development Center (SHRDC).  By May 26, thirteen Amcits 
among the 65 recruits tested positive for H1N1.  They were all moved 
to the isolation wards of hospitals - five at the National Medical 
Center, five at the Incheon Medical Center, and three at the Armed 
Forces Medical Command - all in or around Seoul.  Two non-Amcit 
teacher recruits also tested positive for H1N1; one is a Korean 
national who had resided in the United States and the other is a 
Canadian. 
 
¶4.  None of the patients who tested positive for H1N1 have 
life-threatening symptoms; most have only minor symptoms.  All have 
begun treatment with Tamiflu. 
The other 50 teaching recruits in the group,  including at least 38 
Amcits, remain under quarantine at SHRDC where they will be 
monitored for fever and other symptoms for nine days.  They are 
unhappy about being placed under quarantine, but understand the 
public health considerations.  In the meantime, three of the 
quarantined Amcits have started blogs about their experiences.  The 
Consular Section's ACS Unit has been in touch with most of the 
teachers and many of their parents or family members.  ACS has 
pressured MHWFA to improve conditions at the quarantine dormitory. 
Room phones are being installed and wireless service is once again 
available, and trash is being picked up after the first cleaning 
crew reportedly quit over the weekend.  Family members who wish to 
get in touch with relatives under quarantine at SHRDC should call 
+82-2-3488-2398. 
 
Three H1N1-Positive Amcit Children Detected at Airport 
--------------------- -------------------------------- 
¶5.  Separately, three U.S.-born children of Korean parents who 
arrived on a flight from New York on May 24 were stopped by 
quarantine officials at Incheon International Airport after showing 
flu-like symptoms.  Their tests came back May 25 confirming H1N1 
infection, and they also have been admitted to a hospital and are 
being treated with Tamiflu.  (Note: Because their parents are 
 
SEOUL 00000831  002 OF 002 
 
 
Korean, the children are considered to be Korean citizens by Korean 
authorities.) 
 
¶6.  Also on May 24, a 24-year-old Korean woman returning to Korea on 
a flight from Japan was stopped by quarantine officials who 
discovered she had a fever and other flu symptoms.  Tests confirmed 
on May 26 that she was infected with novel H1N1.  She has begun a 
course of Tamiflu and has been placed in hospital isolation. 
 
¶7.  Korea's total number of H1N1 infections now stands at 23 - the 
19 cases diagnosed over the weekend, a cluster of three individual 
cases detected at the end of April/beginning of May (see REFTEL), 
and a Vietnamese transit passenger arriving from Seattle who was 
detected at Incheon Airport with H1N1 on May 17.  The Vietnamese 
passenger was placed in hospital isolation, given a course of 
Tamiflu, recovered from her mild symptoms, and is due to be released 
May 26. 
 
¶8.  Comment:  The teaching recruits were in Korea for several days 
before showing any symptoms of infection, but remained within a 
fairly closed community in dormitories at the language institute and 
had not yet begun teaching Korean students.  It remains to be seen 
whether MHWFA efforts can contain the virus.  MHWFA officials have 
been helpful and cooperative with the Embassy and have responded 
relatively quickly to our inquiries, but apparently they have not 
been very communicative with the teachers in the hospital or under 
quarantine, leading to frustrations that are apparent on their 
blogs.  We will continue to monitor events, assist the Amcits, 
coordinate with the MHWFA, and keep the Department informed as the 
situation unfolds. 
 
STEPHENS